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Dyson Animal cannister vacuum

This was my starting point: I have a multiple dog and cat household. The cats in particular shed a LOT of hair. I have mostly wood floors but some area rugs and a carpetted stairs. I can end up with tumbleweeds of animal hair if I am not conscientious about vacuuming. I was ready for something really effective that I hoped would cut my vacuuming time and take a lot of the elbow grease out of the process.

I spent a fair amount of time researching vacuums and considering whether I really wanted to invest such a significant amount as is called for in buying a Dyson -- you can get a desktop computer for the same price!

I also weighed up numerous reviews and people's personal comments on various discussion boards because I wanted a good sense of how comfortable this was to use, how effective wih animal hair, how portable (as my house is small and storage space is at a premium), and how likely to have problems.

Some initial reports did say that Dysons had a higher propensity to break down, but I understand that was more when the Cyclone technology was first introduced and was more fiddly. (on the flip side, I am tired of the throw-away mentality of dumping things when they break and I know you can definitely get a Dyson fixed, mainly because they are costly!).

I've now had my Dyson for about 8 months and I would give it an A+ rating. My old small and very cheap Siemens vax had very good suction but it was a pain to find bags for it and they filled quickly. That meant the suction quickly declined and it was much harder work to get hair up.

I do need to empty the Dyson after every use, but the suction never varies -- always good and strong. That alone greatly reduces the hard work of getting stuff up out of your rugs and the floor. The HEPA filters also are fantastic -- they really keep dust -- to which I have an allergy -- at a minimum. No more sneezing when vacuuming! I simply do not any longer see little dustmotes everywhere in the air as I hoover.

Given that the unit itself is quit heavy, the vacuum is fairly maneuverable and has a very long cord -- a big plus so you don't have to keep unplugging and moving the vacuum. I like the rotating head that helps loosen and sweep up animal hair in particular -- this is one area where I really do see a difference in how the vacuum functions on rugs and carpets.

I also like how there are no really long pieces to the Dyson -- everything retracts and can be set to a comfortable length depending on your reach, then stores easily and compactly. The head also easily goes under most furniture, and I have found the smaller tools for sofas and curtains and blinds really work nicely.

To me, the Dyson is kind of the Virgin Airlines of vacuuming -- it is stylish and fun and makes a chore a bit more enjoyable. It will take a bite out of your wallet but I have been very happy with the return on my investment.

NB I don't think the cannister model of the Animal is available in the US yet.

Glad you mentioned this Karlin as I go through vacuums like most people go through chewing gum! Biggest problem for me has always been suction and the cloggability (is that a word?? ) of the hoses. I had some of the earlier Dyson's, the DC01, DC03 and even a DeStjil limited edition gifted by my Ma-in-Law, every single one of them lost power and clogged up, plus cost the earth to buy in the first place! Currently I am using a Morphy Richards Pet 2000w and as long as we empty after every use and change the filter, which is washable and re-usable too, they come with a spare so you can have one in the wash and one in use, I have had no complaints with this machine, currently it has lasted 12 months, which is 6 months longer than most before it!

I too have been looking at the Dyson Animal Cylinder, the cost is the big stumbling block for me, but having heard your positive comments I will put it on my "Strong Contendor" list!

Did you know that when your old Dyson does finally go to the Vacuum graveyard, there is a phone number on the back of the machine that you can call and they will come and take it back to the factory to be recycled into brand new dyson's?
My old Dysons are now probably a part of some-one else's, sort of comforting that they live on in this way eh?

Cathryn Cavaliers leave pawprints in your heart and hair on everything else!!RE-LIVE YOUR CHILDHOOD THROUGH YOUR KIDS, THE TOYS ARE SO MUCH BETTER THESE DAYS!!

Glad to hear you like your Dyson, Karlin. I've had great luck with mine, too. I still have carpet in my living and bedroom areas and could get a cannister full of fur every other day if I vaccuumed that often!

The only drawback I've found (and this is true with any vaccuum cleaner, I'm sure) is that I have to hand clean the floor brush as they get tangled with fur. I usually use a kitchen knife to cute lengthwise across the brush to loosen the fur and it's much easier to remove. I haven't found a way around this, but it's a small price to pay for a really great vaccuum cleaner.

I plan to get the Eureka hand vaccuum for my stairs. I've heard great things about it.

We have the lightweight Dyson at the moment which is excellent but is getting quite old now and the wheels are very squeaky. I was wondering whether the Dyson animal is heavy? I'm thinking of when I need to carry it upstairs. I might invest in one now I have read these positive reviews

We have had the Animal now for about 2 months. I think it's just great, although I swallowed REAL hard over the price! There is absolutely nothing we have ever had that is even close to as good. We do have to cut the dog fur off the brush every couple times, but it's no where near as bad as others we have had. So, if you want the best, just grit your teeth, hand over your credit card and buy one.

When my hubby told me the other day that he used duct tape to attach the floor attachment to the wand on the vacuum because ths plastic tab that holds it broke....my first thought was to look online to see if I could find pieces to fix it. THEN I read this review and a few more reviews online...and decided that my teenagers can have the old vac for when they have their own apartments.....I want one of these Dysons!!!

So, I just bought the Dyson DC15 Animal a few hours ago and it is SHOCKING how much hair and dirt it cleaned up in just one room!!!! Dust bunnies were being sucked towards the vacuum instead of being pushed away from the wand like in my other vacuum. I have 3 cats and 2 dogs....so we do have a lot of animal hair to clean up. I am beyond impressed.

I had no idea just how badly my other vacuum worked. This is a dream. I still have a lot more to vacuum but I had to share with you all just how GREAT this is!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for doing this review...you guys just improved my life.

Yes, so agree. The Dyson is the King of vacum cleaners for me too, but I have to say my old Miele was excellent too and they have a cat and dog model which I believe is excellent. Miele and Dyson are as you problably know in strong competition with each other, so we can be assured that this will keep any future models from either manufacturer well ahead of the game.